Method to simplify sports betting

ABSTRACT

The claimed invention is a new method of simplifying traditional sports betting by matching bets on roughly even betting propositions or comparative choices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicants are claiming the benefit of a provisional patent application with the same title, No. 61/999,065, filed on Jul. 15, 2014.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of games. More particularly, the present invention is in the field of betting or wagering games involving sports, or sports fantasy.

In traditional wagering games, the game operator generally acts as a market maker. The game operator could balance the amounts of bets and expected payout by setting and adjusting the odds that determine the payout of a bet or wager on a particular betting proposition or by adjusting the spread between the two sides of a comparative bet. For example, a game operator could increase the odds to yield a higher payout in order to attract more bets on an undersubscribed event in the betting pool. A game operator could also add or adjust a point spread to a comparative bet, i.e., adding a required performance condition to raise the winning threshold for one side in order to attract more bets to the other side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a method to simplify traditional sports betting by matching bets on roughly even betting propositions or comparative choices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

No drawing is necessary to understand or implement the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In traditional wagering games, the game operator generally acts as a market maker. Each bet or wager is a contract between a player or participant with the game operator, rather between two players. The game operator could balance the amounts of bets and expected payout by setting and adjusting the odds that determine the payout of a bet or wager on a particular betting proposition or by adjusting the spread between the two sides of a comparative bet. Such odds or spreads can make the user interface in traditional betting or wagering games very difficult to understand for many players. Moreover, it can make bets difficult to compare. Two bets on essentially the same proposition can be largely incomparable if the odds and applicable spreads are different.

The present invention is a method of simplifying sports betting in particular and wagering games in general by matching bets on roughly even betting propositions or comparative choices.

Under this new method, the game operator does not act as a market maker but as matching facilitator. The game operator will identify propositions or comparative choices that have roughly even odds or 50-50 chance of likelihood (based on surveys, search rankings or data mining using proprietary algorithms), and then facilitate the pairing of bets for and against such proposition, or on each side of a particular comparative contest (such as the case in sports fantasy or other fantasy games).

Under this new system, the user interface will be greatly simplified. A player or participant in the game generally does not have to deal with the complications of odds or spreads. Moreover, the payout is also simpler. A positive outcome on a bet under the new system generally yields the same amount of payout as the amount of entry fee or wager (less any applicable commissions for fee payable to the game operator).

The new method also expands the scope of competitive contests in sports fantasy or other fantasy games by identifying and creating a market of discrete wagering propositions that depend on the comparative performance of two players, characters, or fantasy teams.

Also, because each betting proposition or comparative choice under this new method is roughly an even bet and ultimately represents a debate between opposing players on each side of the proposition (e.g., which of two given NFL quarterbacks will have a better performance this weekend), skill and knowledge can have larger role to play under the new method, just as skill and knowledge has a bigger role in sports fantasy games than in traditional sports betting.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed. 

We claim:
 1. A new method of simplifying sports betting in particular and wagering games in general by matching bets on roughly even betting propositions or comparative choices, wherein a game operator identifies propositions or comparative choices that have roughly even odds or 50-50 chance of likelihood, and then facilitates the pairing of bets for and against such proposition, or on each side of a particular comparative contest (such as the case in sports fantasy or other fantasy games). 